1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates document creation. More specifically, the present disclosure is directed to a system and method for managing torque applied to an imaging drum of a direct transfer marking system.
2. Brief Discussion of Related Art
One particularly promising technology for forming documents of cut sheet print media includes a solid ink-based printer. A document image is formed on an imaging drum using a solid, e.g., wax-based, ink. The image is the transfixed onto the print medium, the print medium being passed between the imaging drum and a transfix roller and pressed between the imaging drum and transfix roller with considerable force. One embodiment of such solid wax technology has the solid wax ink fixed on the imaging drum in a first revolution of the imaging drum before the print media is introduced into the nip between the imaging drum and the transfix roller. The document is then printed and passed from the image transfix nip before the next document image is begun, necessitating another revolution of the imaging drum.
As the transfix roller remains engaged with the imaging drum, when a sheet enters the nip (approximately 10 mm wide) a climb or fall torque disturbance occurs at the same time while printing with the imaging heads. The torque disturbance causes the drum to change velocity, which will introduce a motion artifact in the image at both the lead-in (climb) and trail edge (fall) of the paper. This disturbance only becomes an issue if it is attempted to begin forming an image of a next document on the imaging drum while the last document media is being printed in the nip. One solution is the two-pass process described above, however this slows the maximum throughput volume of the printer.
However, the general process shows promise, and further improvement in the art is still wanting.